Growth and ultrastructure of Streptomyces venezuelae during chloramphenicol production

Streptomyces venezuelae (3022a) was grown in flask cultures and fermentors, using three media having differential effects on chloramphenicol production. Micromorphology, ultrastructure and chloramphenicol concentrations were studied during the growth cycle in each medium. Chloramphenicol production was greatest in the glycerol-serine-lactate (GSL) medium, less in the glycerol-nutrient broth-yeast extract (GNY) medium and very low in glucose-mineral salts (GA) medium. In GSL and GA, much growth was in the form of microcolonies, especially in flask cultures, while short hyphal fragments predominated in GNY. The major ultrastructural features were the high frequency of mesosomes in fragmenting hyphae in GNY, and electron-transparent zones which appeared during chloramphenicol synthesis in GSL. None of the structural abnormalities induced by chloramphenicol in sensitive organisms were observed in S. venezuelae despite high levels of the antibiotic in GSL medium.